Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks. Image via: Nuggets and Bucks
Denver is fielding trade conversations with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the Clippers, weighing combinations of players and picks against the fallback option of bringing Watson back on a one-year, $6.5 million qualifying offer. The Nuggets are sitting roughly $17.6 million over the luxury tax and $2 million over the second apron, according to Brett Siegel, a spot that restricts them from aggregating salaries or taking back money in a trade unless a deal pulls them back under the second apron. ESPN’s Shams Charania has since confirmed the Nuggets are engaged with more than one side.
Denver has already lowered its ask to a first-round pick plus a “notable” player in return, according to reports. NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote that “the Cavaliers appear to be prioritizing Peyton Watson now over Jonathan Kuminga” after missing out on LeBron James, with Cleveland reportedly willing to offer Max Strus or Dennis Schröder plus a future pick swap. Peyton Watson’s free agency isn’t moving anywhere fast. The Denver Nuggets forward remains a restricted free agent deep into the offseason, and while the Milwaukee Bucks are the team most often linked to a sign-and-trade, fresh reporting suggests Milwaukee isn’t ready to pay what it would likely take to get a deal done. That’s still more than the Bucks appear willing to give up as they continue stockpiling assets in the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo rebuild. Category Details Player Peyton Watson Current Team Denver Nuggets Rumored Team Milwaukee Bucks Contract Status Restricted free agent, sign-and-trade talks ongoing Trade Likelihood High, Bucks viewed as front-runners for a sign-and-trade Latest Insider Update Bucks reportedly reluctant to include a first-round pick (Eric Nehm, The Athletic) Potential Return Jaime Jaquez Jr. and AJ Green (per Brett Siegel) Milwaukee isn’t operating alone in this market. Denver’s leverage is limited by its own books.
